Cantref

As Webster says, literally a hundred tref or settlements and therefore exactly analagous to the Anglo-Saxonhundred. Although Webster's statement "written also kantry" must be taken as a reference to Old Welsh. (For one thing there is no letter 'k' in the modern Welsh alphabet.

According to Giraldus Cambriensis in his Description of Wales, written in the twelfth century said that "Wales contains in all fifty-four cantrefs" and went on to add that "South Wales contains twenty-nine cantrefs; North Wales, twelve; Powys, six: many of which are at this time in the possession of the English and Franks." (Which of course, leaves seven unaccounted for, Giraldus was never strong on detail.)

Each cantref consisted of two cwmwds or commotes each of which therefore consisted of fifty trefs. This however represented a theoretical model as derived from the Welsh Laws and the actual political geography on the ground was often quite different.

However despite Giraldus' assertions most sources seem to indicate that Wales consisted of forty-eight cantrefi (To apply the strict Welsh plural, but cantrefs if you prefer.) the names of which are given below, divided between the four major political power centres of Medieval Wales.

The list below should serve as a general guide as to which cantref belonged to which kingdom, bearing in mind that over seven hundred years (550 to 1282) boundaries shifted and ideas about what might o might not constitute a cantref may well have changed.

Note that the division between Powys Fadog and Powys Wenwynwyn wasn't made until the eleventh century but the distinction between the two general areas helps make sense of an otherwise long list. Much of Powys represented territory that Gwynedd both coveted and acquired at various times.